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Sarv Saksham

Daily Class Notes

Lecture – 08
Jainism (Literature, Doctrines of Jainism, Spread
and Influence of Jainism, Different Schools of
Jainism, Jaina Councils etc.)
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Jainism (Literature, Doctrines of Jainism, Spread and Influence of Jainism, Different Schools
of Jainism, Jaina Councils etc.)
Topic to be covered –
1. A Study of the Late Vedic Period
2. Buddhism
3. Jainism
Post Vedic Age - History of Ancient India
❖ The Aryans expanded further eastward during the post-Vedic period.
❖ The Satapatha Brahmana describes the Arya's expansion into the eastern Gangetic plains.
❖ During the post-Vedic period the Aryans completely dominated the fertile plains enriched by the
Yamuna, Ganges, and Sadanira rivers.
❖ They migrated across the Vindhya Mountains and settled in the Deccan north of the Godavari.
Late Vedic Age (1000 BCE – 600 BCE)
❖ During the post-Vedic period, the Aryas expanded further eastward.
❖ The Satapatha Brahmana contains the thread of the Arya's expansion into the pre-Gangetic plains.
❖ Northern Vedic literature mentions many tribal groups and kingdoms. The expansion of large
kingdoms is considered an important event during this period.
❖ Initially, Kuru and Panchal kingdoms flourished. Among the prominent kings of the Kurus were
Parikshit and Janamejaya.
❖ Pravan Jaivali was a popular king of Panchal.
❖ He was a supporter of education. After the fall of the Kurus and the Panchalas, kingdoms like Kosala,
Kashi, and Videha rose to prominence. The most notable king of Kashi was Ajatshatru.
❖ Janaka was the king of Videha, whose capital was Mithila.
❖ The learned Yajnavalkya graced his court. The eastern tribal kingdoms mentioned were Magadha,
Anga and Vanga.
❖ Northern Vedic literature mentions three divisions of India: Aryavarta (Northern India), Madhyadesh
(Central India), and Dakshinapatha (Eastern India) (Southern India).
❖ During this period, two codices, the Yajurveda Samhita and the Atharvaveda Samhita, were composed
❖ Rituals representing the socio-political structure of the society are associated with the mantras of the
Yajurveda.
❖ Atharvaveda contains mantras and charms used against malefic forces. It was a reflection of non-Aryan
ideas and practices.
❖ The Samhitas were followed by the Brahmanas (texts), which dealt with the social and religious
aspects of rituals.
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Iron culture
❖ Iron became popular around 1000 BC and was found in graves in Pakistan and Baluchistan.
❖ From around 800 BCE, iron was used in Uttar Pradesh to make arrowheads and spearheads.
❖ Northern Vedic literature uses the name 'Shyam' or 'Krishna Ice' for iron.
❖ Although agriculture was primitive, it was widespread, and rice and wheat became more common in
the post-Vedic period.
❖ Many arts and crafts developed with the introduction of metals
❖ Trades such as metalworkers, iron and coppersmiths, and carpenters emerged.
❖ The post-Vedic period consisted of four types of pottery: black-and-red pottery, black-lined pottery,
painted gray pottery, and red pottery.
Political Organization
❖ Post-Vedic Age - Political Organization Large kingdoms emerged during the Post-Vedic period.
❖ In the post-Vedic period, many tribes or tribes came together to form Janapadas or Rashtras.
❖ As a result, along with the expansion of the state, the power of the kingship also increased. To
strengthen his position, the king performed many rituals and sacrifices.
❖ These include Rajasuya (coronation), Ashwamedha (horse sacrifice) and Vajpaya (chariot race).
❖ Kings were given titles such as Rajavishwajanan Ahilbhuvanapati (Lord of the Earth), Ekrat and Samrat
(Sole Ruler).
❖ In the post-Vedic period, many additional officers were active in administration in addition to the
existing priests, warriors, and villagers.
❖ These included treasurers, tax collectors, and ambassadors.
❖ The village councils dominated the grassroots governance.
❖ In the post-Vedic period the influence of Samiti and Sabha declined.
Financial status
❖ Iron was widely used during this period, allowing humans to clear forests and make more land
available for cultivation.
❖ Agriculture was the main occupation. Improved cultivation tools were used for agriculture.
❖ Along with barley, rice and wheat were also cultivated. Knowledge of fertilizer was another advantage.
❖ Industrial activities became more diversified, and specialization increased. Metalworking, leather
processing, woodworking and pottery all made significant progress.
❖ Along with domestic trade, foreign trade also expanded. The Northern Vedic people were sea traders
and traded with places like Babylonia.
❖ A class of hereditary merchants (Vani) emerged.
❖ Vaishyas were traders. They came together to form ganas or guilds.
❖ Apart from the Nishka of the Rigveda, gold and silver coins such as Satmana and Krishnala were used
as a medium of trade.
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Social Life
❖ In the post-Vedic period the four divisions of society (Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra) or
varna system were fully established.
❖ The benefits that Brahmins and Kshatriyas had, Vaishyas and Shudras did not have.
❖ Although Brahmins were of higher status than Kshatriyas, Kshatriyas often asserted superiority over
Brahmins.
❖ During this period, many sub-castes arose on the basis of employment.
❖ In the post-Vedic period, the authority of the father in the family increased. There was no progress in
the status of women.
❖ They were still considered inferior and subordinate to men.
❖ Women's political rights to participate in meetings were taken away. Child marriage was becoming
common.
❖ According to the Aitareya Brahmana, Kanya is the cause of suffering. But royal women had important
advantages.
Religion
❖ Early Vedic deities such as Indra and Agni declined in importance.
❖ Prajapati (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Rudra (the destroyer) became important deities in
the post-Vedic age.
❖ Sacrifices gained importance, and the rituals associated with them became more complex.
❖ Prayer became less important, sacrifices became more important. Priesthood became a profession, and
it became hereditary.
❖ The priestly class created and elaborated the Sutras of Yajna.
❖ As a result, at the end of this period there was a great opposition against the priesthood and the
sacrifices and rituals.
❖ These complex sacrifices led to the rise of Buddhism and Jainism.
❖ In addition, the authors of the Upanishads, which are considered the heart of Hindu philosophy,
rejected unnecessary methods in favor of pure knowledge (jnana) for peace and liberation.
Buddhism - Origins
❖ Buddhism began in India about 2,600 years ago as a way of life with the potential to transform man.
❖ It is a major religion in South and Southeast Asian countries.
❖ BC This religion was founded on the teachings and life experiences of Siddhartha Gautama, the founder
of this religion born in 563 AD.
❖ He was born into the Shakya II dynasty ruling from Kapilvastu in Lumbini near the Indo-Nepal border.
❖ Gautama left home at the age of 29 and abandoned his life of luxury in favor of penance or intense self-
discipline.
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❖ After 49 days of meditation at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, Gautama attained Bodhi (enlightenment) under a
pipal tree.
❖ The Buddha gave his first discourse at Sarnath, near the city of Banaras in Uttar Pradesh.
❖ This is called dharmacakra-pravartana (turning the wheel of law).
❖ He died in 483 BC at the age of 80 in the city of Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh. The name given to this
event is Mahapariniba.
❖ Buddha created a belief system during a period of significant religious and intellectual revolution in
India.
❖ Buddhism was once one of many ideologies that emerged in response to the failure of traditional
Hinduism to meet the needs of the people.
❖ It was a small school of thought in the Maurya Empire (322-185 BC) until the reign of Ashoka the Great
(268-232 BC) (322-185 BC), So this doctrine was adopted and spread throughout India, Central and
Southeast Asia.
Buddhism - Causes of Origin
❖ Dominance of the priestly class
❖ In the varna system, the order was Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra.
❖ The Kshatriyas, the second rank, strongly opposed the ritual supremacy and other privileges enjoyed
by the Brahmins.
❖ It is also worth noting that Buddha was also of Kshatriya varna.
❖ It is worth noting that the Buddhist Pali scriptures repeatedly reject the claim of Brahminical
superiority and elevate themselves (the Kshatriyas) above the Brahmins.
Sanskrit as the language of the Vedas
❖ Hindu priests "received" and repeated the Vedas in a Sanskrit language that the people did not
understand.
❖ Numerous philosophical thinkers of the time questioned this methodology and the validity of the
religious structure.
❖ Several other schools of philosophy are believed to have developed during this period (most of which
have not survived), which recognized or rejected Vedic authority.
❖ Those who accepted orthodox Hindu concepts and the resulting rituals were referred to as astikas
("Believer"), while those who opposed orthodox views were referred to as nastikas ("Atheist").
❖ Three atheistic schools of philosophy, Charvaka, Jainism and Buddhism survived this period.
Emergence of the New Economy
❖ In the 6th century BC, when abundant rains made the soil more fertile, the center of political activity
shifted from Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh to eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
❖ Bihar's iron deposits and surrounding land became easy to exploit.
❖ People began to use more iron implements like plows for agriculture.
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❖ The use of iron plows necessitated the use of bullocks, which meant that the old Vedic practice of
slaughtering animals as sacrifices had to be abandoned in order to stabilize this agricultural economy.
❖ Moreover, the development of animal husbandry became imperative to increase the number of
potential animals to undertake the work required to sustain the development of the agricultural sector.
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